How Writers Influence Others

John-Boy Walton: “Elizabeth, I brought you something.” He hands her a copy of her favorite book.

Elizabeth Walton: “But, this is the one I already have, I wanted one of her (favorite author) other books.”

John-Boy: This is an autographed copy that her mother sent to you. I am afraid there won’t be anymore books Elizabeth because she past away recently. Her mother also wanted you to have this.” He hands her a sheet of paper. This is a page from the book she was working on when she died. John-Boy looks at his sister “are you alright”.

Elizabeth: Yes, but I feel like I’ve lost someone I cared very much about.

One of my favorite family entertainment TV series of the past (1971-1981) was The Walton’s which was about a family living during the depression era. It was wonderful watching this large and extended family as they met each of the struggles they faced with faith, love, hard work and togetherness. Each episodes began and ended with the voice narration of Earl Hamner, Jr . who is the real life John-Boy. John-Boy was often seen sitting in his room writing ferociously in his “Big Chief” tablet the stories of his large and loving family, their friends and the community. It was his desire to become a writer. John-Boy understood Elizabeth’s feeling and wants, very much, to help her feel better as she struggles with the lost of this friend she never met.

I watched the episode and the above conversation recently. It’s message caught me by surprise and I took it to heart.

Writing carries a tremendous amount of responsibility and its “reach” can be expansive. The old adage “sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me…is definitely not true…words can hurt and words can also heal.

As writers, we have a love for both reading and writing words. We become enthusiastic about the story, experience, the characters or the facts we write about. We have an almost burning desire to unlock the door to the imagination so that others can enter and be amazed, as they become angry, sad or happy. We want the reader to travel with us to other places and times and meet the people we meet along the way. We want them to see what we see in all of its splendor. We are always alert to what is around us and to the conversations of others…we pay attention to the smallest details. We have our notebooks, journals, scraps of paper with bits and pieces of notes. Our pencils and pens are always ready to capture an idea or thought because we know a great story, article, or novel is just a “few words or a thought” away.

As writers, we also want our reader to learn and remember and yearn for more…we want them to be entertained; to be thrilled and awed by what we write. Whether fact or fiction or a combination of the two, whether mystery or romance, serious or funny we want our stories to unfold as the reader goes deeper and deeper into the landscape we are painting. We enjoy asking questions, questions that we, the writer, will answers, and questions which allows the reader to find their own answers. We enjoying showing the reader rather than telling the reader, we allow them to experience the story, to feel and touch, and then wonder…wonder.

We want our readers to know us and not know us, and the more we write the more we learn. We want to be mysterious, knowledgeable, and opinionated. We want to learn; to grow; to feel fulfilled. We want to leave an impression on the reader and the world. We want to be well-known, well-paid, and sometimes anonymous.

In the episode of the Walton’s Elizabeth read the book several times wrapping herself in the story in such a way she “became” the character. Like the author Elizabeth Walton fell in love with, we want to connect to our readers and know they care “very much” about us.

Writing has been the one constant in my ever-changing, ever-evolving life. Writing is the one thing that can console me, cleanse me, warm my hearth, lift my spirits and allow me to exhale. And if I do anything with and through my writing I would like to help someone question and find answers, explore and find meaning and just plain make sense of all the craziness that surrounds us.

Words are powerful and beautiful and wonderful and glorious and fun. My intention is to make them count.

Love to all,

Nonna